Hertz and Enterprise add electric vehicles to their CSR platforms

When assessing the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programs that companies operate some are better positioned to make a large environmental difference than others. If you focus on the automotive industry for example many feel that car technology provides ample room to make changes that will appeal to eco-conscious customers and consumers alike. It’s a double-edged sword however as the auto industry is held accountable for a sizable proportion of responsibility for global warming in addition to being looked at to provide the most comprehensive and cost-effective solutions. Of all the industries that many consumers are directly engaged with transportation solutions including car, bus, train and aircraft manufacturers and the operators of fleets such as airlines, public transportation networks, car rental companies and delivery companies may hold the greatest level of responsibility that essentially everybody can relate to and benefit from. We are still only in the early stages of what could turn out to be a reinvention of the auto industry moving toward alternate fuel vehicles. The large automakers are still testing the waters of consumer interest before throwing huge investment at electric and hybrid vehicles. Airlines riding a decade long wave of financial struggles are also slow to move toward new more efficient aircraft due to the capital investment. In both cases many companies are looking to walk the tightrope between prudent investment and consumer appeal by gauging the growing importance of CSR to their passengers or customers, to executive boards and shareholders the largest changes are often seen as maverick investment while in truth it’s progressive thinking and planning for the economics of the future rather than the present.

Even in a smaller subsector of the automotive industry such as car rentals the stakes are high but the potential for impact is remarkably huge. In the US alone more than 1.3 million vehicles are owned by car rental companies however at present less than five percent of the entire fleet is either a hybrid or electric vehicle. The availability of an alternate fuel vehicle with a hire company will be very much contingent upon what city you are renting from. It is encouraging to see however that the two largest rental car companies in the country – Enterprise and Hertz – are both looking to dramatically increase their customer choices for hybrid and electric vehicles over the next two years. Hertz in particular are looking to roll out their Global EV Initiative beginning this month in New York and adding Washington and San Francisco in January with more cities to follow throughout next year. In each case hundreds of electric vehicles will be added to each airport location in conjunction with the installation of charging stations. The company are also making a commitment to install a special network of EV charging stations so that customers will rent in the confidence that recharging the vehicle will be an easy process.

What automakers are probably hoping is that consumers who have their first experience an with electric vehicle via a rental may in turn be more likely to purchase one in the future. The old phrase the early bird catches the worm surely applies to the decision by Hertz to accelerate this global commitment to electric vehicles, it’s interesting to note that Avis are planning to unveil their new plans very soon also.